Protest at Dean's office over water pollution standards

Staff report

Published: Monday, April 15, 2013 at 2:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, April 15, 2013 at 2:27 p.m.

Local environmentalists descended on the district office of state Sen. Charles Dean on Monday demanding that Dean and his fellow legislators reject what they believe are inadequate water pollution standards being proposed by the state Department of Environmental Regulation.

The environmentalists object to the proposed law because they say the law does not go far enough to prevent pollution but only addresses it after it occurs. And then, they say, taxpayers get stuck with the cost of cleaning it up, not the polluters themselves.

The environmentalists, many of them from the local Silver Springs Alliance working in tandem with the Sierra Club, believe state lawmakers should allow the federal Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the waterways with stricter pollution standards than the state is proposing.

“The EPA prevents pollution and protects the environment, and the DEP is on the other end of the spectrum. It allows the pollution to occur,” said Barbara Schwartz, secretary of the Silver Springs Alliance.

Dean was not at his district office when the group of protesters arrived. He was in Tallahassee for the legislative session.

That didn’t stop the group, one of many that swarmed legislators’ offices statewide Monday, from showing up to get their message across.

Many carried large photos showing aquatic weeds and algae blooms in Silver Springs and the Silver River.

In a letter delivered to Dean’s office, they called for standards that would prevent algae blooms. Any legislation should impose limits on fertilizer use, regulate animal manure and control sewage to ensure that nutrients don’t contaminate state waters, the letter states.

The group believes that many laws meant to protect Florida’s environment are under attack by legislators catering to pro-business interests.

“When is enough enough?” asked Steve Whitaker, a real estate broker and a member of the Silver Springs Alliance. “When are we going to stop counting building permits as a measure of success, when you can walk from rooftop to rooftop from one coast to the other?”

The fight over water pollution standards has been going on for years. In 2008, environmental groups sued the EPA for not forcing Florida to develop pollution standards. Under pressure, the EPA eventually decided to draw up the standards itself.

But Florida lawmakers and the DEP pushed back, and developed their own set of pollution rules. The rules, which are expected to be voted on this legislative session, have been roundly supported by large business groups in Florida but have been panned by environmentalists as inadequate.

<p>Local environmentalists descended on the district office of state Sen. Charles Dean on Monday demanding that Dean and his fellow legislators reject what they believe are inadequate water pollution standards being proposed by the state Department of Environmental Regulation.</p><p>The environmentalists object to the proposed law because they say the law does not go far enough to prevent pollution but only addresses it after it occurs. And then, they say, taxpayers get stuck with the cost of cleaning it up, not the polluters themselves.</p><p>The environmentalists, many of them from the local Silver Springs Alliance working in tandem with the Sierra Club, believe state lawmakers should allow the federal Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the waterways with stricter pollution standards than the state is proposing.</p><p>“The EPA prevents pollution and protects the environment, and the DEP is on the other end of the spectrum. It allows the pollution to occur,” said Barbara Schwartz, secretary of the Silver Springs Alliance.</p><p>Dean was not at his district office when the group of protesters arrived. He was in Tallahassee for the legislative session.</p><p>That didn't stop the group, one of many that swarmed legislators' offices statewide Monday, from showing up to get their message across.</p><p>Many carried large photos showing aquatic weeds and algae blooms in Silver Springs and the Silver River.</p><p>In a letter delivered to Dean's office, they called for standards that would prevent algae blooms. Any legislation should impose limits on fertilizer use, regulate animal manure and control sewage to ensure that nutrients don't contaminate state waters, the letter states.</p><p>The group believes that many laws meant to protect Florida's environment are under attack by legislators catering to pro-business interests.</p><p>“When is enough enough?” asked Steve Whitaker, a real estate broker and a member of the Silver Springs Alliance. “When are we going to stop counting building permits as a measure of success, when you can walk from rooftop to rooftop from one coast to the other?”</p><p>The fight over water pollution standards has been going on for years. In 2008, environmental groups sued the EPA for not forcing Florida to develop pollution standards. Under pressure, the EPA eventually decided to draw up the standards itself.</p><p>But Florida lawmakers and the DEP pushed back, and developed their own set of pollution rules. The rules, which are expected to be voted on this legislative session, have been roundly supported by large business groups in Florida but have been panned by environmentalists as inadequate.</p>